How do you say "Please / I ask for your favor" in Japanese?

"Please / I ask for your favor" in Japanese is "おねがいします". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘Please / I ask for your favor’ in Japanese

Q: What does "おねがいします" mean in English?

"おねがいします" means "Please / I ask for your favor" in English. Usage tip: [おねがいします] is a super useful polite phrase for requests. In introductions, it combines with [よろしく] to create a fixed expression.

おねがいします

o negai shi masu

[oh neh-guy shee mah-soo]

💬 Usage Tip: [おねがいします] is a super useful polite phrase for requests. In introductions, it combines with [よろしく] to create a fixed expression.

🇯🇵 In Japan: This phrase appears everywhere in Japan: asking for help, ordering politely, or making formal requests. It's a politeness superstar.

Phrase Breakdown

お

[oh]

honorific prefix

This polite prefix makes the expression more respectful.

Example

おはていねいなことばです。

お is a polite prefix.

ねがい

negai

[neh-guy]

request; wish

This part comes from the idea of a request or favor. In this phrase, it helps express asking politely.

Example

ねがいをこめていいます。

You say it with a wish/request in mind.

し

shi

[shee]

This is part of します, the polite form of do. Here it helps build a polite request expression.

Example

しはどうしのいちぶです。

し is part of a verb.

ます

masu

[mah-soo]

polite ending

A standard polite verb ending used in many everyday expressions.

Example

ますをつけるとていねいです。

Adding ます makes it polite.

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